<b>Chapter </b>286


    It was Padgett Novak.


    Padgett hurried past, looking nothing like his usualposed self. His clothes were different, and his hair–normally so meticulously styled–was a mess, strands falling haphazardly across his forehead.


    Bianca opened her mouth to call out to him, but remembered she had more pressing matters and let


    it go.


    Padgett moved quickly, disappearing from sight within minutes.


    Just then, Jude’s car pulled up. Bianca slid into the passenger seat, and they sped off toward the ident scene.


    By the time they arrived, Seth was already being loaded into the ambnce.


    The silver–topped Maybach had mmed into a roadside sculpture, the whole body of the car overturned, its front end crushed nearly beyond recognition.


    Traffic officers were busy cordoning off the area and directing the flow of cars around the wreck.


    Bianca and Jude followed the ambnce to the hospital.


    Only when they arrived did Bianca realize how badly Seth was hurt.


    There was a gash above his eyebrow where ss had cut into his skin, deep enough that he’d need stitches. Bruises and scrapes covered the rest of him to varying degrees.


    Thankfully, none of the injuries were life–threatening. Bianca let out a long, shaky breath of relief.


    While she sat with Seth as the doctors treated his wounds, Lillian called to check in.


    Bianca gave her a brief rundown of what had happened.


    With others present, neither of them mentioned anything about Noreen. They both knew better than to bring it up.


    Lillian, for her part, had learned to read between the lines. She knew Bianca would want to know what happened next, so once they hung up, she sent a text.


    “Noreen was taken away by Carman.”


    Bianca froze. “What was he doing there?”


    “Who knows!” Lillian replied, clearly frustrated.


    Everything had seemed foolproof–until it all unraveled at thest second.


    She’d even gone to the trouble of hiring a guy from out of town to “entertain” Noreen, hoping to paint her as wild and reckless, to ruin her reputation in Seth’s eyes and make him want nothing to do with her.


    And yet, after all her careful scheming, Carman’s sudden appearance had wrecked the whole setup.


    All that work, wasted. <fnba74> This content belongs to FιndNovel</fnba74>


    12:26


    Learning the truth, Bianca couldn’t help feeling let down <i>too</i>.


    Still, her mind was more on Seth’s condition than anything else, so she didn’t dwell on it with Lillian.


    By then, the doctor had finished stitching Seth up and was running through the aftercare instructions. “Keep the wound dry, avoid spicy foods. It’s a deep cut, so there may be a scar.”


    Seth didn’t seem worried.


    Bianca, on the other hand, was anxious. “Will the scar go away?”


    The doctor reassured her, “With today’s technology, it’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”


    Seth even managed to tease her, “What’s wrong? Are you going to dump me if my face is ruined?”


    Jude and Healy walked in just in time to hear that, and Jude groaned, “If you two have the energy to flirt, clearly your head’s still working.”


    Healy snickered, “What, did you forget how to drive? How’d you manage to hit the curb?”


    Seth shrugged, “I was on the phone. Got distracted.”


    Bianca’s face fell. “I never should have called you.”


    Seth reached for her hand. “Come on, I’m fine. It was my fault for not paying attention. It has nothing to do with you.”


    Jude rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright, we’ll get out of here before we choke on your lovey–dovey act. First, we miss out on drinks, and now we’re stuck watching you two? No thanks.”


    Since Seth was alright, Jude and Healy didn’t hang around.


    On their way out, Jude suddenly remembered something. “By the way, where were you earlier?” he asked Healy. “You know how long Bianca and I waited for you?”


    Healy nced away, his eyes evasive. “Just had something to take care of. That’s why I waste.”